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How to make a graphics card quieter using sponge

Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2013 2:34 pm
by MattP
Okay, so after my previous experiment, I found out a way to reduce fan noise somewhat using some sponge! It basically removes any vibration noise the fan makes, though this is only a problem in certain situations. With my case and GPU, the difference after the mod was genuinely quite profound, but it'll vary depending on your config. It's certainly worth trying if your graphics card is a bit noisy though, because it's quite a simple mod.

As usual I've made a video instruction:

Make a graphics card quieter - youtube

Would love to hear if anyone else gives this a go, and the results.

~ Matt

Re: How to make a graphics card quieter using sponge

Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 8:44 am
by MikeC
Interesting use of vibration damping. I'm sure it works quite well, but it's risky because most foam breaks down over time when subject to heat. iirc, it doesn't take that much heat, nor time. I've had foam in HDD silencing boxes end up being powdery dust after a couple years of continuous... and VGA cards get way hotter than HDDS!

Re: How to make a graphics card quieter using sponge

Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 10:13 am
by Telamon
It's been years since it was mainstream but I recall some different GPU fan isolation methods being discussed as part of the Zalman vf900 fan replacement process. Foam was used but I also remember a big pencil eraser being mentioned at some point. For mine I used a couple of the rubber HDD drive cage grommets from my P180 case and some silicone aquarium sealant rated for a fairly high temperature.

Re: How to make a graphics card quieter using sponge

Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2013 7:42 pm
by zaferk
MikeC wrote:Interesting use of vibration damping. I'm sure it works quite well, but it's risky because most foam breaks down over time when subject to heat. iirc, it doesn't take that much heat, nor time. I've had foam in HDD silencing boxes end up being powdery dust after a couple years of continuous... and VGA cards get way hotter than HDDS!
Would a more expensive foamy material work? Like the soft foam that often comes with graphic cards?

Re: How to make a graphics card quieter using sponge

Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 7:57 pm
by mkk
To make this reliable over time it would have to be some sort of more industrial grade open cell foam that is made to tolerate high temperatures without deforming too much or begin loosing its tensile strength. The glue will also have to be able to take heat, but heat resistant glue is certainly easier to find. I'd assume some harder closed cell packaging foam should hold up well, while on the other hand have less of a decoupling effect.

Either way, unless that fan was in bad shape it shouldn't be making much vibrational noise in the way it was originally mounted. While alsmost everything can be made quieter, I generally don't see this as having been a problem zone in recent years. Standing a framed fan on top of a piece of hard wood is a completely different story. All sorts of vibrations that aren't otherwise hearable will be possible to pick up with that method.

Re: How to make a graphics card quieter using sponge

Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 8:53 pm
by MikeC
zaferk wrote:Would a more expensive foamy material work? Like the soft foam that often comes with graphic cards?
I doubt it. Probably need to check on it periodically, and when you feel it becoming crumbly at all, replace it immediately.

Re: How to make a graphics card quieter using sponge

Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2013 1:32 am
by flemeister
Another possibility if you have extra PCI slots available, using a case fan held on with silicone fan mounts: Accelero S1 rev. 2 and installing Noiseblocker fan

Presumably could be done using the card's stock heatsink and an 80mm case fan. :)

Image

Re: How to make a graphics card quieter using sponge

Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 4:03 pm
by flinx
I usually use thick double-sided tape - it has a foam core and sticky sides. It can also be cut and shaped according to the fan and mounting point. If it's too thin, you can also stack it in layers. The real issue is that over time the glue may not hold as well, so you'll want to check up on the fastenings if you've been moving the case significantly (like to a LAN party), or when cleaning to make sure everything is where it's supposed to be.